Merola Opera Program opens 2025 Summer Festival with “A Grand Night for Singing – An American Songfest” (Jun. 26)

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (30 April 2025) — San Francisco’s esteemed Merola Opera Program will open its 2025 Summer Festival with A Grand Night for Singing – An American Songfest, an intimate voice and piano recital that highlights the rich musical history of the United States. This exclusive, one-night-only event, curated by pianist and Merola alum Ronny Michael Greenberg(Merola ’14), will feature a diverse selection of songs from 250 years of American history, ranging from American art song through the Great American Songbook, Broadway, and jazz. A Grand Night for Singing – An American Songfest will showcase the extraordinary talent of 11 Merola artists from the 2025 program—six singers and five pianists—performing works by composers who have contributed to the cultural fabric of America. The program will encompass a broad spectrum of American music, from timeless classics to lesser-known gems. This performance offers an opportunity to experience the depth and variety of American song through the expressive voices and musical interpretations of emerging opera talent, serving as both a celebration of American musical heritage and a glimpse into the future of opera and vocal music. A Grand Night for Singing – An American Songfest will be presented at 7:30pm, Thursday, June 26, 2025, at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Caroline H. Hume Concert Hall, 50 Oak St., San Francisco. For more information or to purchase tickets ($68, $38, $18 (ages 25 and under)), the public may visit merola.org or call the San Francisco Box Office at 415-864-3330.

The Merola artists featured in A Grand Night for Singing: An American Songfest include mezzo-soprano Ruby Dibble, bass-baritone John Mburu, baritone Joeavian Rivera, soprano Charlotte Siegel, tenor Tristan Tournaud, bass-baritone Justice Yates, and pianists Brian Cho, Brian McCann, Deven Shah, Tzu Kuang Tan, and Dain Yule Yoon.

The 60-minute recital, performed in English, will feature 18 works that take audiences on an emotional journey through powerful stories told with expressive music and text. A Grand Night for Singing – An American Songfest showcases pieces by contemporary composers such as Leslie Adams’ “The Heart of a Woman,” Andrew Lippa’s “How Did We Come to This” from The Wild Party, and Jule Styne’s “If You Hadn’t But You Did” from Two on the Aisle. These will be presented alongside beloved classics from earlier eras, including “Some Enchanted Evening” by Rodgers and Hammerstein, “Dancing Cheek to Cheek” by Irving Berlin, “Songs My Mother Taught Me” by Charles Ives, and “You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To” by Cole Porter.

The Merola Opera Program is widely regarded as the foremost opera training program for aspiring singers, pianists, and stage directors. Merola nurtures the opera stars of tomorrow through master classes and private coaching with opera’s most accomplished singers, coaches, conductors, and directors. Participants also receive training in operatic repertoire, languages, diction, acting, stage movement, and professional development. Offered free of charge to all participants, the Merola Opera Program is unique in the industry, providing a comprehensive curriculum with a strong emphasis on developing the “whole” artist. This includes personal and leadership development, financial planning, mental and physical wellness, as well as public relations and branding. It is the only young artist program to provide financial support to developing artists for five years following their participation, offering aid for essential career development expenses including coaching, language classes, and audition travel. Learn more at merola.org.

FOR CALENDAR EDITORS

WHAT: San Francisco’s esteemed Merola Opera Program will open its 2025 Summer Festival with A Grand Night for Singing – An American Songfest, an intimate voice and piano recital that highlights the rich musical history of the United States. This exclusive, one-night-only event, curated by pianist and Merola alum Ronny Michael Greenberg (Merola ’14), will feature a diverse selection of songs from 250 years of American history, ranging from American art song through the Great American Songbook, Broadway, and jazz. A Grand Night for Singing – An American Songfest will showcase the extraordinary talent of 11 Merola artists from the 2025 program—six singers and five pianists—performing works by composers who have contributed to the cultural fabric of America.The program will encompass a broad spectrum of American music, from timeless classics to lesser-known gems. This performance offers an opportunity to experience the depth and variety of American song through the expressive voices and musical interpretations of emerging opera talent, serving as both a celebration of American musical heritage and a glimpse into the future of opera and vocal music.

WHEN: 7:30pm, Thursday, June 26, 2025

WHERE: San Francisco Conservatory of Music Caroline H. Hume Concert Hall

50 Oak St., San Francisco

TICKETS: $68, $38, $18 (ages 25 and under)

Ticket buyers can save 10 percent when purchasing tickets for all four productions* in the 2025 season. Ticket discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. Group Sales can be contacted at 415-621-4403.

*Discount is valid through June 25, 2025. All four performances must be purchased at the same time. The discount does not include the Merola Grand Finale Reception and cannot be combined with any other discounts.

INFO: For more information or to order tickets, please visit merola.org or call the San Francisco Box Office at 415-864-3330. The box office is open Monday, 10:00am-5:00pm, and Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00am-6:00pm (Saturday phones only). The Group Sales office is open Monday, 10:00am-5:00pm, and Tuesday through Friday, 10:00am-6:00pm.

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MEDIA: Paige D’Encarnacao, CBCO Public Relations & Marketing paige@cb-pr.com | 415-570-2623

PHOTOS: Downloadable high-res photos are available here: https://cbpr.co/press/anamericansongfest/